When comparing the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) and curriculum conference methods of curriculum development, one finds that the product goals of the two methods differ but the process goals are similar. Both seek to generate information from a select group on which to base curriculum development, but the end product of DACUM is a chart that displays tasks and duties of an occupation and the end product of a curriculum conference is the development of the main characteristics of a curriculum. Both methods use small groups of experts who are selected according to similar criteria that result in subjective selection. Decisions are made by reaching consensus. Documents are the main source of information at the conference but the practice and knowledge of participants are the chief sources of information with the DACUM method. With both methods, it is the leaders who are responsible for implementing the process and producing the final product. Extraneous variables may compromise the internal validity of the research designs used to study the two curriculum methods, including small sample size, nonrandom selection of participants, interaction between selection and the curriculum development method itself, interaction between selection and time, context factors such as whether the participants know one another, the Hawthorne effect, novelty effects, and effects of the leader. Validity of the studies could be helped by, among other things, randomizing the participants and standardizing implementation of the method as much as possible. (CML)